O Esperance!
by BeatriceofMessina
Summary: This is the tragic love story of Kate Mortimer and Hotspur.
1. Chapter 1

Ludlow Castle was buzzing with activity. Lord Edmund Mortimer, master of the castle, was preparing to welcome some of England's brave knights who had fought so valiantly in France. Everyone was anxiously anticipating their arrival. Everyone, that is, except for young Lady Katherine Mortimer. As her servant Margaret fluttered around her chamber talking of all the splendid people who would be arriving and of the lovely parties, Kate sat staring out her window looking rather displeased with the world.

"My lady, why art thou so melancholy?" asked Margaret. "Are you not anxious to meet the gentlemen your father has invited?"

"What reason have I to rejoice in their coming? That perhaps I shall find a husband from among them, as my father desires? Perhaps I shall pray that some fat ugly baron who kept at the rear in France thinks the king's niece a worthy acquisition to his estate? Forgive me Margaret, but I take no pleasure in the idea."

"For shame Kate! Thou are too harsh! These men do not all come to court you, and you should not be so displeased with those who do. Do you never intend to marry?"

"No. I shall become a nun."

Of course this was not true. Kate would indeed like to marry someday, but not for the purpose of making a political alliance. Fortunately her father had no desire to see his daughter used to get some ambitious fellow closer to the crown. This is perhaps why despite his great desire to see his daughter married he had refrained from arranging a match himself, at least thus far. The men her father invited to their castle bored her tremendously, and she was sure tonight would be no different. She turned from the window and threw herself down on her bed.

"My lady! The gentlemen approach! Will you not look?" Asked Margaret excitedly.

"Nay," she answered, burying her face in her pillow.

At the banquet honoring the arrival of their guests, Kate had the great misfortune of being seated next to Sir Robert Croft, a scrawny knight who fancied himself an expert in theology, especially as angels were concerned. He went back forth from telling her all he believed he knew about angels to telling her how much she looked like an angel until Kate very much wanted to be with the angels. When she was finally able to leave the banquet table she was approached by Lord Blackwood, a short portly gentleman some thirty years her senior who had been trying to woo her for the past three years.

"My dear lady," said the gentleman, "will you step apart with me?"

"Nay sir, will not."

"But my lady I have something I wish to show you. . ."

"You fiendish toad!" said a voice behind Kate. "You have heard the lady say she did not wish to speak with you. Now off with you, careless fool!"

Kate turned to see the tall, broad shouldered man who addressed Lord Blackwood. This was the first time she had seen him.

"Sir!" said Lord Blackwood, greatly offended. "Why do you address me so? Why do you concern yourself with my conversation with this lady?"

"Because," snarled the unknown man, "I have no more desire to hear your squealing voice than this lady does. Now be gone, unless you wish to step apart with me!" The tall man put his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Harry Percy! Thou art the most despicable villain. . ." the man took a step towards Lord Blackwood and he seemed to think better about finishing his statement and instead turned and left in a huff. Kate was intrigued. Could this stranger really be Harry Percy, better known as Hotspur, the most famous warrior in all England?

"You are the knight Hotspur?" she asked him.

"Are you dull woman? You have just heard the gentleman address me as Harry Percy, and if Harry Percy be not Hotspur, then I am not Harry Percy."

"You are not as tall as I had believed you would be," she said, feigning disappointment.

"I am not on my horse," he answered. "And are you not Katherine Mortimer, the young lady with the great misfortune of being the niece of one of the most foolish and weakest men to ever take the throne in England?"

"Alas sir, I am," said Kate, trying not to laugh. "Tis a heavy burden, but I bear it as best I can. And you sir, were not captured by the Scots after killing Lord Douglas and then allowed to be ransomed because you argued so fiercely with your captors that they could bare your presence?"

"A man must strike at his enemies any way he can," said the man smiling mischievously. "Now excuse me, I must take my leave. There are too many dim-witted apes about for my liking." With that he left the banquet hall.

"What a foul man!" Margaret whispered to Kate once she was sure he could not hear her. As Kate watched him stride out of the room, she was not sure she shared Margaret's opinion.


	2. Chapter 2

The following afternoon, Lord Mortimer's great hall began to fill once more with his distinguished guests. The atmosphere was much less formal. People sat in groups drinking wine and sharing stories. Hotspur stood in the doorway surveying the room. Many of the knights looked forward to these brief periods away from the fighting, but Hotspur was not one of them. He grew restless with nothing to plan and nothing to do. Most of the men assembled he found foppish, witless, obnoxiously pious, or simply dull. As a man announced he wished to read a poem to the assembly, Hotspur moved from his place in the doorway and took a seat next to Lady Kate, the only person who looked as bored as he felt. The man began to recite the poem about his beloved.

_Her hair is the sun, golden and bright_

_Her skin in the snow, pure and white_

"Pardon me," Harry whispered to Kate, "For I am but a simple soldier, but if her hair be the sun and her skin be snow, how does she not melt?"

"I confess, I know not," said Kate. "It seems perhaps the gentleman's love is destined to be a puddle."

"Aye, and the puddle shall dry up and leave him with nothing."

This is how the evening went between the two of them. More men came to offer poems and sonnets, and Kate and Hotspur determined that each man was more foolish than the last. They declared that they felt very sorry for the poor women admired by men who composed such idiotic verses, and therefore could not help but chuckle when one poet revealed his lover was dead. Kate declared she had died of boredom while Hotspur was convinced that she had killed herself by stabbing herself in the throat with is pen. He wished she had stabbed him instead. T'would have been a noble service to all mankind. Kate declared that Hotspur was a most wicked man, and Hotspur responded that if he were truly wicked he would stand up and subject them all to some hideous concoction of words. Their pleasant discourse was interrupted when Lord Blackwood stood up to offer his own hideous concoction.

"My dear friends," said the lord, "I wish to share with you a piece of poesy that I have composed in honor of the lovely daughter of our gracious host, the beautiful and virtuous Kate Mortimer."

"Beauty is a curse and virtue a plague," Kate whispered believing no one could hear her. "I'll cut off my nose and sell my virtue to the highest bidder rather than listen to this man spout sonnets to me."

"Do be sure to sell thy virtue before thou hast disfigured thy face. Thou shall fetch a far better price," Harry whispered in her ear. Kate's jaw dropped and she was about to shout that he was a weasel sent from hell when he turned to Lord Blackwood and shouted, "Sit thyself down, cur. We'll have none of your verse." Lord Blackwood cleared his throat defiantly, having decided to ignore Lord Percy. However, Hotspur was not the only one who had grown tried of the recitations.

"Yes my Lord, save thy sonnet for another time," said Sir Thomas Grey politely. We are no longer in the mood for poems."

"T'will be far more beneficial to share it with the lady in private!" shouted a drunk man at the back of the room. "Then perhaps she shall reward thee!"

"But you'll get no shut reward from us!" said another man, stumbling towards Blackwood with his sword. Hotspur chuckled. Kate looked for a way to make an inconspicuous exit but found none.

"Enough of this," said Sir Grey. "Come, come, let's have a song."

Hotspur turned to Kate with a roguish glint in his eye. "Yes, Lady Mortimer, let's have a song."

Kate, having not yet forgiven him for his earlier remark to her, was in no mood to oblige. "Nay sir, I shall not sing" she said stiffly.

"Why? Dost thou croak like a frog?" Kate ignored him. "Dost thou squeal like a pig? Dost thou squawk like a chicken?"

"Thou shalt never know," said Kate with great satisfaction.

"Come lady, I will hear thee sing," insisted Harry.

"I am not one of your men that you may command me to do thy will. I have no desire to sing for thee."

"Dear Kate, why dost thou refuse to sing for this gentleman?" came a familiar voice from the doorway.

"Edmund!" Kate exclaimed, and rushed to greet her elder brother. He had spent the past four months abroad in Ireland and she had missed him terribly.

"Sing for us dear sister," said Edmund. Kate could not refuse her brother's request, but she was not about to let Lord Percy triumph. The clever girl began a popular war song, and before she had finished the first line the rest of the assembly had joined, allowing her to drop out of the song and take a seat beside her brother.

"Oh Edmund I wish to hear everything about Ireland. Are the Celtic warriors as fierce as they say?"

"More fierce than any I have ever seen," replied Edmund. "What Lord Percy? Art thou leaving?" he asked as Hotspur walked past him. "Has my sister's slight upon thee driven thee from our assembly to sulk?"

"Nay sir," said Hotspur. "Tis thy presence which drives me from hence."

Edmund laughed. "I am sorry to have offended thee so. Adieu then, old friend." He then turned to Kate, knowing full well his next statement would halt Hotspur's retreat.

"In Ireland I was forced to battle a giant. Thou wouldst have fainted at his sight dear Kate. The man was taller than any I have every seen. Why he was twice the height of Percy here at least."

"Treacherous knave, who taught thy tongue to spin such vile lies?" said Hotspur walking back to where the brother and sister sat and taking a seat beside Edmund.

"Tis not a lie!" said Edmund, feigning offense. "I faced such a man!"

"As he was twice the height as me, how couldst thou look him in the face?" asked Harry.

For the rest of the evening the two men argued this way, with one telling tales of his exploits and the other declaring the story could not possibly be true. Kate enjoyed listening to them, occasionally chiming in to tease one of them. Twas a pleasant evening after all.


	3. Chapter 3

Lord Mortimer, Kate and Edmund's father, was a sickly man. His health prevented him from joining the festivities with his guests. Shortly after Edmund's return, he fell terribly ill and Kate devoted herself to his care. This of course, prevented her from spending time with the gentlemen. Normally Kate was grateful for an excuse to avoid them, especially Lord Blackwood. However, as she tended to her father, she found herself thinking of Lord Percy. Why her mind should dwell on him she could not guess. Margaret surely had been right about him; he was a most foul man. She still hadn't forgiven him for his rude comment to her when Lord Blackwood tried to recite his sonnet. Nonetheless, her father's condition made her terribly worried, and she couldn't help but think that Lord Percy could somehow provide her some pleasant distraction from her current burden. She was probably wrong, she thought to herself; he would probably just make her angry. Still, there was something about the way he provoked her, something different, something she ought not waste her time thinking about, she concluded. She hated acting like some silly girl.

Lord Mortimer finally recovered from his illness and was eager to join his guests. He announced that Ludlow Castle would shortly be hosting a sword tournament for all the visiting knights as well as the local ones. The entire town was invited to watch the spectacle. All the men were anxious to show off their battle skills. Kate could not help but be caught up in the anticipation and excitement. One afternoon as she and Margaret were walking the castle grounds they happened upon Edmund, who was practicing his fighting skills on Harry Percy. The skirmish was rather sad, for Percy was clearly the superior swordsman. Edmund attacked him with great effort, and Percy fought him off with no trouble at all. Kate and Margaret sat down on the grass and watched the duel until Edmund surrendered out of desperate need for a drink of water. Once the two men had quenched their thirst from the nearby stream, they sat down on the grass next to the ladies. More correctly, Hotspur sat down while Edmund collapsed.

"Well Kate," he said, looking up at his sister, "what dost thou think of my fighting?"

"I think, dear brother, that thy fighting gives Lord Percy an excellent chance of winning the tournament."

"Lord Percy? He cannot win without killing his opponent."

"He hast defeated thee and thee has still alive."

"Careful my lady," said Hotspur. "His may yet succumb to his exhaustion."

"Exhaustion?" said Edmund, "Why I barely broke a sweat."

"Well then perhaps we should have another go at it," said Hotspur.

"Nay," said Edmund. "I fear I may injure you and you shan't be able to compete."

"Truly, you must fear for your life, since I cannot achieve victory without bringing death to my opponent, you best not press your luck further. You have already escaped once."

"Listen to you two," said Kate, "quibbling like schoolboys. I am sure you shall do quite well in the tournament Edmund. I will be a good sister and wear the Mortimer colors for you."

"Lady," said Hotspur, "were you truly wise you would wear Percy colors."

"Why on earth would I want to do something like that?" asked Kate with mock disdain.

"They are the champion's colors," said Percy matter-of-factly.

"I look much better in green and white than red and yellow," said Kate haughtily.

"Besides," said Edmund, "there will be no shortage of women wearing Percy colors."

"Really?" said Kate, looking at Hotspur mischievously.

"Of course," said Edmund. "He is the greatest knight in England. He slays the Scots, flattens the French, make the Welsh wilt. He is so brave and tall and strong and handsome," said Edmund dramatically. "They shall throw their favors to him and faint!" With this, Edmund pretended to swoon and Kate pretended to catch him. Hotspur did not appreciate this, as was evident by the look on his face, but he said nothing.

"Perhaps they will run away in fright," mumbled Margaret. Hotspur seemed to like this idea much better.

"And what of you, Lady Mortimer? Why do you not run?" asked Hotspur.

"I am not afraid of you," Kate said, staring at him with confidence.

"Good," he said, lowering his voice. "I despise cowards." Something in the way he said it and the way he stared back at her made Kate turn away, though she knew not why.. She got up and declared to Margaret that they had better let Edmund practice so he would not disgrace the family name. Edmund jumped to his feet, but Hotspur remained seated for a moment, watching Kate as she walked back to the castle.

The day of the tournament arrived. Lord Mortimer had a small arena constructed with stands for the spectators. The nobles of the region sat in the boxes at the front while the townspeople filled the seats in back. Everyone was terribly excited, waving colored ribbons from the houses of their favored participant. Kate took her seat in her father's box. Much to her displeasure, Lord Blackwood took a seat beside her. Her father could tell that Kate was trying very hard to ignore her persistent suitor, and he whispered to her, "Daughter, you must be polite to this gentleman. He is very fond of thee." Kate sighed. Fortunately the herald came out at that moment to announce the first two combatants, sparing her from tedious conversation.

The men were divided into two groups, and the winners of each group would face each other in the championship duel. Sir Thomas Grey won the first fight in his group. Lord Elgin won the first fight in his. Grey bested three opponents before he was defeated by Edmund, who seemed to have benefited greatly from his duels with Hotspur. Kate cheered wildly as he defeated his next two opponents, but after a long, hard fought struggle, he was beaten by Sir Hampton. Kate groaned in disappointment. Lord Blackwood leaned over to talk to her as the fighters from the other group took their places in the arena.

"That's my nephew Richard," he said, pointing to a tall, dark haired, villainous looking knight preparing to fight. "He's the best swordsman in all of England. His form is perfect and his speed is unmatched by any man alive."

"Is that so?" said Kate skeptically. Her father had left to speak to Edmund so she could get away with being impolite to Lord Blackwood.

"Just watch," he said.

She did watch, and she could not deny that Sir Richard wielded his sword with great skill. However, he lacked the powerful and noble presence that Harry Percy possessed when he fought. Why she should notice this stunned her, but she could not help but make the comparison, and for some reason this comparison mattered to her a great deal. Sir Richard fought like a brute. Hotspur fought like a seasoned, well-disciplined soldier. She had noticed it even in his half-hearted battle with Edmund.

When Sir Richard had vanquished his opponent, it was Hotspur's turn to face Sir Hampton. As he entered the arena, the crowd erupted with cheers of "O Esperance!" which was the Percy motto. Lord Blackwood continued to praise his nephew's skills and declared that surely he would win the tournament. Ladies rushed to the edge of the arena holding out their family colors for Hotspur to wear. Edmund had been right about his popularity. Hotspur took no favors, however. He looked quite oblivious to everything but the task at hand.

At she watched Hotspur make his way around the arena, Kate grew a little angry with her companion. How could he presume that his beastly nephew was a better swordsman than Lord Harry Percy? She had heard stories of Sir Richard. He sold his allegiance to the highest bidder. Lord Percy would never do such a thing. As Lord Blackwood continued to brag, and Hotspur made his way towards her to take his position for the fight, Kate decided to do something rather bold. She tugged the green and white ribbons that held back her reddish-blonde hair loose, and tossed them into the arena so they landed on Percy's boot. She made sure he saw her throw them. Harry stopped, picked the ribbons up, and gaze her a look of astonishment. "I suppose it would be rude to refuse a favor from the daughter of our gracious host," he said, smiling.

"You told me you would be champion," she said frankly.

"Indeed I shall," he said, tying the ribbons around the sheath of his sword, taking great pleasure at the look on Lord Blackwood's face.

When Hotspur had taken his place in the center of the ring, Lord Blackwood attempted to recover from the insult Kate had dealt him.

"You have picked the wrong champion," he said, his face still red.

"I think not," said Kate. "We shall have to wait and see."

"If you were a man I should make a wager with you."

"Why can we not make a wager?" Kate said. "Indeed, if any man but Lord Percy wins this tournament, I shall have you as my escort to tonight's banquet."

"And if Percy shall win?"

Kate was not quite sure what should happen if Percy won. She would like to say that he would be her escort, but suppose he did not wish to escort her? He may refuse her just to spite her. She certainly couldn't let him choose her escort. Then she might well end up with Lord Blackwood anyway, or even worse, Sir Richard. Before she could formulate her answer, Edmund took his father's seat next to Kate. He had heard her make the wager with Blackwood. "After this match," said Edmund, "I shall go to Lord Percy and ask him what my sister should do if he wins."

"Thou art the devil," Kate whispered to Edmund, who merely laughed at her. Percy easily defeated Hampton. Lord Mortimer returned to the box and Edmund left to tell Hotspur of the wager.

"My sister declares to Lord Blackwood that should you lose this tournament he shall be her escort to the banquet tonight."

"Your sister should not wager herself like a harlot," said Harry, splashing some water on his face. Edmund ignored this inappropriate comment. He expected this much from Hotspur.

"They have not settled the terms if you should win."

"Not settled the terms?" he said, irritated. "I should think they should be obvious. Did I not accept her favor? Is it not proper for the maiden daughter of the tournament host to accompany the champion to the tournament feast? Are you all so dull? I shall escort Lady Mortimer to the banquet tonight, not that sniveling twit!"

"Yes my lord," said Edmund, bowing ceremoniously and leaving with a smile.

"Lord Percy declares that if he wins this tournament he shall be honored to escort you to the banquet, my dear Kate," said Edmund, taking a seat behind his sister in their family box. Kate smiled triumphantly at Lord Blackwood, who merely scoffed.


	4. Chapter 4

The tournament progressed just as our two gamblers had hoped it would. Both Hotspur and Sir Richard advanced to the final round. Kate had never found a sword tournament so thrilling. There was something exciting about the raw energy with which Hotspur pursued and disarmed his opponents. He did so much more artfully than Sir Richard did. With each match her cheers grew louder. Lord Blackwood compensated well for this with his own cheers. Finally each man had won his group and the herald announced that the championship duel would be fought in one hour, allowing the two contenders to recover their strength before the fight.

Hotspur sat in one of the competitors' tents, waiting for the final duel. He hated waiting. His bondsman, Donnelly, came to join him. Hotspur had rescued Donnelly from a group of Scottish raiders who had imprisoned him because of some ancient clan dispute Hotspur had never fully understood. Donnelly was a short, muscular, scruffy looking man. He appeared to be some years older than Hotspur but in actuality the two men were the same age. Donnelly was eating a large piece of mutton on a roll. Hotspur thought Donnelly ate like a barbarian and told him so. Donnelly was quite accustomed to such abuse and paid no attention to him. Instead he pointed to the ribbons on his lord's sheath.

"I see Lady Kate has given ye her colors." Hotspur grunted affirmatively. "Has she given ye anything else?" asked Donnelly with a snicker. Percy's boot came down on his own with such force Donnelly let out a yelp and nearly choked on his mutton. "Now me lord," sputtered the pained servant, "I were only teasing. Tis no cause fer cruelty on yer poor servant. No indeed sir, no indeed." Donnelly rubbed his foot.

"Your vulgarity required correction," said Hotspur.

"Ye never minded it before," said Donnelly indignantly.

"I'm sure I did."

"What's so special 'bout this girl anyhow?"

"Nothing," said Percy. "Why wouldst thou think there was?"

"Nothing?" asked Donnelly, somewhat surprised. "Why she's the prettiest girl I've seen since we got back to England! Not that I really noticed. . ." he said, inching away from his master to avoid further correction

"Well I hadn't noticed," said Harry flatly.

"Like hell ye hadn't," Donnelly whispered under his breath.

"Is there something you wish to say?" asked Hotspur, quite amused.

"As a matter o'fact sir, there is. I dunnot understand ye, me lord, not at all. Ye are the most celebrated knight in England since Edward the Black. Ye have a great estate with great wealth, and come from an old, powerful family. Do ye never think there could be more to life than soldering?"

Hotspur chuckled. "What more?"

"Why, pretty girls!" said Donnelly with exasperation. "When we were in France there was that beautiful countess who practically threw herself at ye and ye never paid no attention to her."

"She was a very silly woman."

"Well what about Mortimer's daughter? Is she a very silly woman?"

"Probably," said Hotspur. "I've not met a woman who wasn't."

"Then why do ye care if she goes to the banquet with Lord Blackwood?" asked Donnelly slyly.

"Because that man is a pathetic, shriveling worm."

"If she's a very silly woman why does it matter?"

Just then the trumpet sounded, signaling that the championship duel was about to begin. Hotspur was grateful for such an easy excuse to not answer Donnelly's question. What did Donnelly mean by being so impertinent anyhow? His dealings with Lady Mortimer were none of his servant's business.

The herald stepped into the center of the ring to announce the two competitors. He announced Sir Richard first. His men and some of the locals cheered loudly, as did Lord Blackwood. Some people waved gray and dark blue ribbons. As Sir Richard made his way around the ring, he stopped and kissed a woman in ill fitting clothes with greasy black hair who was sitting in the front holding out a favor for him. "How disgusting," thought Kate.

The herald began to announce Sir Harry Percy, but he was quickly drowned out by the crowd. The Percy men all shouted "O Esperance!" and began unfurling their banners. Kate clapped and cheered with the others, but her father's warning eye prevented her from doing so too enthusiastically. He did not want her to offend Blackwood.

The two combatants met in the middle of the ring and shook hands, Sir Richard scowling and Lord Percy smiling quite devilishly. They unsheathed their swords and the duel began. Kate had hoped that Percy would best Sir Richard rather quickly, but this was not the case. Richard was clearly the most skilled opponent he had faced all day, and there was some truth in Edmund's earlier remark about Hotspur. It took an incredible amount of effort and self-control for him to fight by gentlemen's rules. He could have defeated Sir Richard on a number of occasions, but not without causing serious injury. Sir Richard grew incredibly frustrated with his inability to strike a finishing blow, or any severe blow for that matter. His frustrations were quite evident by the look on his face. He also lacked Hotspur's military discipline, for he was not patient enough to wear his opponent down as Hotspur was doing. Instead, he took his buckler and smacked Hotspur in the face, knocking his helmet off and leaving a bloody gash on his forehead. The crowd booed. Kate leapt to her feet and shouted "That is against gentlemen's rules!"

"Katherine!" said her shocked father, pushing her back into her seat. "Hast thou forgotten thy modesty?" Kate sat back down quietly and sulkily.

For his part, Percy was glad Sir Richard has drawn first blood. If Sir Richard wasn't going to follow the dueling rules neither was he. Richard charged at him and at the last moment Hotspur bent down. Sir Richard flipped over Percy, landing on his back. Percy placed his boot on Richard's shoulder and his blade at his throat, giving Richard no choice but to drop his sword.

The crowd erupted with applause, drowning out the handful of groans from Sir Richard's supporters. As Harry stepped away from Sir Richard the greasy haired woman who had kissed him earlier rushed to Richard's side. He stood up and angrily sent her away before stalking off himself. Kate sat and politely applauded, tempering her enthusiasm to avoid further correction from her father. She did give Lord Blackwood a haughty smirk, and at this he changed his mind about the wager.

"My Lord Mortimer," said Blackwood in a rush. "I do hope you will do me the honor of allowing me to escort thy daughter to the champion's feast tonight."

"Jackal," Edmund whispered to Kate, who was biting her lip very hard to avoid lashing out at Blackwood.

Lord Mortimer looked pleased with Blackwood's offer. "Well, I. . ."

"Pardon, my lord," interrupted Hotspur, as he strolled confidently over to them. "I believe it is custom dictates that as champion I am the one who ought to escort the daughter the gracious host to tonight's feast, if it please you, my lord."

Lord Mortimer considered this. "Well yes, I suppose it is only right that the tournament champion should escort the lady of the castle if he chooses," he said reluctantly.

"If it please the lady," said Hotspur to Kate.

"It does sir."


End file.
